Door latch



June 22 926.

R. J. EASTON DOOR LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24. 1925 ml a |v.\ .w, Z f 5...' Z 7 W1- VN/ A 4 ,2q M n, f y T2 T Ik a n y 7 4 z 4. MJ/ l w 7J 4 @Il @www |57( .J M 000 Z h V@ 3 Q k H/ X52 x f j W x 7 3 n 4- l :T j a 8 z (2 INVENTOR for cl.` Fsa/v l BY ' ATrORNEY June 22 1926. 1,589,634

R. J. EASTON DOOR LATCH Filed June 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR for d [sra/v ATTORNEY 2 Patented June 22, 1926.

4UNITED ASTATES PATENT oF Fica.l

ROY Jl. EASTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPOBA- TION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DOOR LATCH.

iippiimon mea rune 24, i925. serial No. cassa.

l This invention relatesvto door latches and particularly to means for preventing rattlin of the movable parts thereof. y

Tie present invention is an improvement over the usual type of door latchl in which the latch bolt is operated by means of a handle controlled cam or roll back member which contacts with lugs formed on the rear end of a bifurcated latch bolt. Quite frequently'the door on which such a latch 1s `mounted will sag, especially in vehicle doors, and allow the end of the latch bolt to touch the bottom of its keeper, which causes the lugs on the bolt to recede out of' contact with the operating roll back cam, and lpermits the cam to freely rotate a limited l amount independently of the latch bolt sufficiently to cause an annoying rattle when the ends of the cam strike against the end portion ofthe latch bolt, due to vibration, etc., also, because the position of the Ahandle which operates the cam depends upon Athe position of the cam, the handle frequently assumes an out-of-normal position which detracts from the beauty of the object in which the latch is included.

With the above in view it is one of the objects of the present invention to provideA a door latch with means to prevent rattling of the various movable parts thereof.

Another object is to provide a door latch with means to keep the operating handle in the same position regardless of the osition of the latch bolt when the bolt is in epend ently moved in the action of closing the door or otherwise.

A further object is to provide -a door latch with a spring pressed member positioned between the arms of the operatin cam or roll back and the lugs of the latclgi bolt, which spring pressed member will bear against the cam surfaces regardless ofthe position of the latch bolt and will prevent the cam from rattling and also resiliently hold the handle in normal osition.

These being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed,-having the above and other objects in view.

lntheaccompanying drawings which illustrateA a suitable embodiment of the present invention, .and inzwhichlike numerals Figure lis a side elevational'view of the door latch of the present invention with the `cover plate removed.

\Figure 2 is a section taken on the broken line 2 -2 of Figure 1 showing a door in connection therewith in -latched position.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the broken line 3 3 of Figure 1 showin the door part# s ly closed with the latch bolt epressed by its keeper plateand thefoperating handle in the .same normal position, as in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken 'on theline 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the U shaped latch bolt.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the member which when assembled is positioned between the `operating or roll back cam and the lugs on the rear end of the latch bolt.

Figure 7 isa perspective view of the oper-` ating or roll back cam.

Figure 8 is a perspective -view of the parts shown in Fi their respective positions.

The improved door latch of the present invention comprises a housing composed of two rectangular-shaped sheet metal plates 20 and 21, the plate 20 being formed with a flanged end 22 at a rightangle thereto, and with openings 23 to provide a means `for securing the same Whenassembled with other necessary parts, to a door 24 adapted to close against a door opening side pillar such as 25. The plate 21 is box shaped in form with side flanges 26 and an'end portion or fiange 27 which abut a ainst the plate 20 and are suitably secured t ereto, to orm a cover and support for the operating mechanism. The flanged portion 22 of the plate 2O is partially cut away to form an opening 28r provided with an inturned flan e piece 48 to form a guide and support for t e latch bolt 29 which is adapted to slidably engage with a keeper 30 provided in the pillar 25. Both plates 20 and 21 are provided with openlngs to receive the' bearings 4of a roll back 31 which is provided'with a square recess 34 to receive the shank 33 of a rotatable operating outside handle 32.

Formed on the roll back 31 and positioned between the lates 21 and 22 is a cam member 35, provided with oppositely extending res 5, 6 and 7 assembled in p cam surfaces 36 on each side of the central portion of the roll back 31. -Abuttingagainst these cam surfaces 36 and extending partially around theroll back 31, 1s a U- shaped member 37 which is held 1n contact agamst the cam surface 36 by means of a coil spring 38` surrounding the rod 39 which extends rearwardly from the center of the member 37 and projects through the end ange 27 of the box-shaped plate 21, the rod 39 being slidably guided in the end flange 27. The rear end of the latch bolt 29 is preferably of relatively thin section and 1s bifurcated to provide two rearwardly extending-parallel arms 41 which extend past the roll back 31 on both sides thereof and the member 37 the arms 41 terminating in lugs 42 back of and abutting against the rear faces 43 of the end portions of the U- shaped member 37. Extending beyond and s rearwardly from the lugs 42 in the direction of the arms 41 are two rod portions 44 surrounding' which are spiral springs 45 that extend between the lugs 42 and the face of the end flange 27 to normally hold the latch bolt 29 in extended position.

The Ushaped member 37 is formed with ear-shaped portions 46 'on each of its legs, one of which extends over the upper arm 41 and the other of which extends-below the lower arm 41 ofthe latch bolt 29 to form guiding ways therefor.

When the door 24 is opened the handle 32 is turned either clockwise or counterclockwise, which causes one of the cam surfaces 36, depending on the direction of rotation of the handle 32, to bear against the corresponding contact face on the member 37 and force the latch bolt 29 to be withdrawn from its keeper 30 through the medium of the lugs 42 on the arms 41, against the tension in the springs 45 and the spring 38. As the handle is released, the tension in these springs 45 and 38 forces the latch F bolt 29 and handle 32 together with the member 37 back to their normal position.

When the door is being closed, the latch bolt 29 contacts with and slides backwardly and inwardly along the surface of the strike plate 47, forcing the latch bolt 29 back and compressing the springs 45, but due to the sliding fit between thev arms 41 of the latch bolt 29 and the U-shaped member 37, the member 37 remains stationary and consefquently due to the tension in the spring 38 holds the roll back 31 and door handle 32 in the same position as when the latch bolt 29 was in normal extended osition as is clearly shown in Figure 3. T is is articularly advantageous, when some'of t e movable parts become coated with oil and dirt or when the door 24 sags on its hinges sui- \ciently enough to cause the latch bolt 29 to lie against the bottom of the keeper 30 and hold the same 1n only partially extended position in which case the lugs 42 are not in contact with the faces 43.. In case no spring pressed member such as 37 wereused, the lugs 42 would be out of contacting relation in this position with the cam surfaces 36, and the roll back 31 would be free to rotate slightly or to move longitudinally against the sides of the plates 2() and 21.

This condition in a moving vehicle would create a very annoying and disagreeable rattle which would be objectionable to the occupants. It is obvious that by placing the member 37 between the lugs 42 of the latch bolt 29 and the cam faces 36. of the roll back 31, the tensionin the spring 38 will hold the member 37 against the cam surfaces 36 and thereby avoid the disagreeable features just mentioned.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the parts are adapted to opperate in a quiet and smooth manner, that the various movable parts are prevented from rattling and that the door operating parts such as the handle and cam members will be held in perfect normal position relga'dless of the position of the door latch o t. i

Itis to be understood that formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described, without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims..

What I claim is 1. In a door latch, a slidable latch bolt havin spaced arms at one end thereof, a rotata le cam having oppositely extending arms, and a spring pressed member positioned between said spaced arms on latch bolt and .said arms of said cam to transmit movement to said latch bolt when said cam is rotated and to hold said cam in normal position when said latch bolt is longitudinally moved independently thereof.

2. In a door latch, a casing, a spring pressed latch bolt having spaced `leg members provided with lugs on the extreme ends thereof, a cam member positioned between and rotatably supported by the walls of said casing, and a spring pressed member interposed between said cam and said lugs to hold said cam in normal position when said latch bolt is longitudinally moved independently of said cam.

3. In a door latch, a retractable bolt provided with two rearwardly extending spaced parallel arms terminating in laterally disposed lugs, a roll-back positioned between said arms provided with oppositely disposed cams positioned forwardly of said lugs, a U-shaped member the ends of which are positioned between each of said cam faces and the lug on the said adjacent arm.

whereby to transmit motion from said cam lili) lll) Utl

to said bolt, resilient means to project said m normal bolt into latched position, and resilient means to move said U-shaped member for wardly whereby said roll-back is urged to osition irrespective of the position of said 1t.

4. In a door latch, a roll-back having oppositely disposed cam faces, abolt having bifurcated arms positioned above rand below said roll-back and terminating in lugs rearwardly thereof, a U-shaped member the ends of which are dlsposed between said lugs and said cam fas, resilient means tending .to hold said bolt in extended position, and resilient mear-s pressing said U-shaped member against said cam surfaces whereby to hold said roll-back in normal position independent of said bolt. y

5.*In a door latch, a housing having a rearvwall and a front wall, a bolt slidably projecti through said front wall and provided wlilmtwo spaced parallel rearwardly extending arms terminating in laterally extending lugs, rods projecting rearwardly from said lugs, springs surrounding said rods between said lugs and said rear wall whereby to constantly urge said bolt into projected position, a roll back provided with two oppositely extending cams positioned forwardly of said lugs, a slidable member positioned between said lugs and said cams whereby to transmit movement from said cams to said bolt, a rod projecting rearwardly from said member through said rear wall, and a spring surrounding said last mentioned rod whereby to constantly urge said member forwardly, thereby to hold said roll-back in normal position irrespective of the position of said bolt.

Signed by me, at Detroit, Michigan, U. S.A., this 15th day of June, 1925.

IioY J. EASTON. 

